Sabina Mossolow

Sabina Mossolow (born 1959) is a Namibian operatic soprano.

Early life

Mossolow was born in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1959 to Russian-German parentage. Her father was the historian and archivist Nikolai Mossolow.

A student of Nellie du Toit, Mossolow completed a Bachelor's degree in music and French, an honours degree in journalism, a higher performer's licentiate in music and an honours and master's degree in music at Stellenbosch University. Her masters thesis looked at the life of her mentor du Toit.

For nine years she resided in Freiburg, Germany, where she furthered her vocal studies at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik under Beata Heuer-Christen and Maria Orán.

Career

Mossolow made her debut with the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Youth Concerto Festival in Durban under David Tidboald.

Donald Runnicles contracted her to the Freiburg Municipal Theatre where she sang roles such as Musetta in La bohème, Micaëla in Carmen, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Ghita in Der Zwerg, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Marina in I quatro rusteghi and Violetta in La traviata, working with directors such as Christof Loy and Gerd Heinz.

Repertoire

Mossolow sang Les nuits d'été (Berlioz) at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra and was the soprano soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the CPO under Benjamin Zander. She was understudy for Andrea Catzel in the role of the Marschallin in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier for Cape Town Opera. Her oratorio repertoire includes Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Mass in C Minor as well as Cartellieri's Gioas, re di Guida at the Musiktage St. Peter with the Freiburger Kammerorchester under Klaus Hövelmann.

Recognition

She won the voice category of the ATKV Forte Competition. She was a semi-finalist in the UNISA International Singing Competition and received master classes from Galina Vishnevskaja in Salzburg, Kammersängerin Margherita Lilowa in Varna, Bulgaria, as well as Elly Ameling. Mossolow is the recipient of an International Richard Wagner Society bursary.